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Flue is simple and minimalistic containers, it has three different size and each piece is made of different material. Giving each container a unique character. Use Flue individually as a vase, a container or combining all together to make a sculptural object.

1,2,3 Mirror was part of designers diploma thesis The Past Is Never Dead at the University of Applied Sciences in Darmstadt, Germany. Most recently, however, it was exhibited at Tent London during the London Design Festival. The three-part mirror is designed to not only be a reflection of the onlooker, but also an imprint of the time, place and context, demonstrating how context and our self-image are inextricably linked. The three layers are simply leaned against the wall, no nails or mounting required. The first two layers, a light pink layer on top of dark grey glass, provide the reflective surface. The third layer, made from untreated brass, changes with time and touch. It eventually modifies and distorts the reflection, much like our past memories and experiences can distort our present self-image. A simple mirror thus slowly becomes a physical manifestation of the self throughout time.

Designer Adrian Magu’s interest for everything green and his work in the automotive industry has resulted in the Kasokudo Bonsai Planter; a stunning fusion of form and function. Referencing speed forms and manufacturing processes used in transportation design, this piece juxtaposes movement applied to what is usually a static object. The piece gives the impression of an accelerating form that effortlessly floats to house a bonsai tree, evoking a perfect balance of dynamic harmony. The latest manufacturing processes of the highly polished finishes of the planter and 3D-printed ‘mountains’ contrast to that of nature that usually takes many decades to grow, sculpt and form the gnarled bonsai forms. In all, a unique synthesis of cutting-edge precision with the imperfect beauty of nature.

Ruutu, which means diamond or square in Finnish, is a collection of 10 vases available in five sizes and seven colours. When collected and combined, they make small seamless installations where both the strength and the delicate nature of the glass come alive. Like Ittala’s iconic Alvar Aalto collection, Ruutu is also created in Iittala’s Finland factory. However, where the Aalto vase embodies an organic form, Ruutu follows strict form and makes a perfect collectible.

Designers Ronan and Erwan Bouroullec explain, “Iittala knows very well how to manipulate colours. In Ruutu, we were able to create a delicate, watercolour-like palettes that intermingle with each other when combining sizes and colours. Ruutu allows a game of composition. We wanted to show the sophisticated range of Iittala colours while at the same time handing the job over to the user who will feel tempted to have several modules to create his or her own individual assemblage.”

Ruutu was an inspiring challenge in the Iittala glass factory given the many hours required to create symmetry, yet keep the feel of a handcrafted, unique product. “We were seeking to express the purity of glass blowing in this simple diamond shape,” explain the Bouroullec brothers. “Glass is a material that likes round shapes. When hot it flows like honey and does not like to be pulled into a very precise geometric shape. By developing the strict shape we are reaching the limits of the material, and using the highest level of the Iittala glass-blowing expertise.”

The 11+ World Clock reinterprets the traditional functionality of the clock by creating a unique and playful interaction between the user and the design. Although the face of the World Clock may not seem out of the ordinary, its cylindrical body allows it to display 24 different time zones via a clever rolling mechanism. Independently working hands allow the clock to be quickly rolled back to any of its 24 time zones, while immediately transitioning back to the local time.

Aura mirror series are developed out of a metaphor of a glowing object. The hemispherical shaped mirrors with a solid aluminium base are electroplated with copper, chrome and nickel coating. This converts the mirrors into a whole reflecting object rather than just a surface. The flat mirror surface in the core of the hemispheres is tilted towards you.

The project is about tactility and sensibility. Aura´s format relates to fit into two open hands. The way the massive and seamless material feels against your skin gives a sense of holding something scarce. The polished surface contrasts to your natural skin and the way the heavy material is pressed into your hands. Other aspects of sensibility Aura touches is when the object is exposed to light. Then the light is reflected differently from the flat mirror surface and the circular body; making you aware of your surrounding and light changes.The thought is to create physical and mental recognition in the moment. Aura mirror series consists of wall and table mirror.

Alpina is a group of display stands designed for the London-based jewellery designer Melanie Georgacopoulos. The name Alpina refers to the landscape of the Alps region which is reflected in the design of the display. There are four sizes of stand and two neutral colourways in the group, which can be used together or individually, depending on the required arrangement. Georgacopoulos’s collection of rings, bracelets and necklaces can all be displayed on the stands, at different ‘points’ of the individual peaks.

“These vases follow my personal research on glass. Two of the most famous traditions in glass working are in Finland and in Italy, so this family of vases wants to be a homage to the work of nordic masters like Tapio W., together with the work of italian glass blowers. In the sixties and seventies wonderful pieces came out from the collaboration between designers and glass manufacturers: this was my inspiration so I tried to do a collection of vases with simple, archetypal shapes, but giving a modern taste “exagerating” the heads and emphasizing with colors like metals.” – Giorgio Bonaguro.

Francesco Faccin designed this project to provide an answer to the provocative message sent to him from the Tempo Italiano platform. It invited its participants to reflect on design past and present, on the meaning of production today, on a return to the origins of the basic needs and actions within a system of sustainable values.

Re-Fire is a kit for manually lighting a fire; it was inspired by the systems used by primitive Man. Two pieces of different types of wood – a piece of hardwood and a piece of softwood) are rubbed together; in just a few seconds, the friction produces smouldering ash and this can be used to light a fuse in a highly inflammable dry material. Each component is essential for the creation of fire, and the specific wood types selected correspond to a precise technical characteristic.

For Francesco Faccin, Re-Fire is an attempt to re-synchronize with Man’s most instinctive needs using a contemporary means. Producing an article that will produce fire obliged the designer to repeat the gestures of our ancestors, in this case using sophisticated tools that are readily available to all, such as laser cutting machines, CNC routers etc.

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